25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco with Kids

Photo Credit: San Francisco Travel Association/Scott Chernis

I consider myself lucky to call the San Francisco Bay Area home. San Francisco is a destination that travelers from all over the world yearn to visit, and all of it is in my backyard. But don’t be too jealous! As great as the city is, it’s also super-expensive – one of the priciest in the country. Activities and outings with kids can really add up quickly.

After more than a decade of living in San Francisco (7 of those years with at least one kid in tow), I’ve learned to find lots of budget-friendly things to do with my kids. Free activities balance out those times we have to pay the big bucks for outings and events. Whether you are a local just looking for something free to entertain your kids on a school holiday or a visitor to the city planning a few days or more to see the sights, here are 25 free things to do in San Francisco with kids.

1. Stroll the Golden Gate Bridge

On a clear day, the views of San Francisco don’t get any better than from the country’s most iconic bridge. Take your children for a walk along the Golden Gate Bridge on the pedestrian path for a true San Francisco experience.

2. Observe the Fisherman’s Wharf Sea Lions

The playful animals that have made San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 area home are a must-do with children. No zoo admission required to see animals here – just camp out on the pier and watch them in action. These creatures play, splash, and sometimes even fight, all while hundreds of tourists look on.

3. Visit the Cable Car Museum

Riding a cable car may be expensive, but getting an up close and personal look at them is totally free at San Francisco’s Cable Car Museum. Located in Nob Hill along the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines, it’s an easy stop for tourists exploring Union Square, Chinatown, or the surrounding areas.

4. Build a Sand Castle on Ocean Beach

Southern California may have the state’s most famous beaches but on days where the fog rolls away, San Francisco has some pretty amazing ones too. Ocean Beach is part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (one of the National Parks Service administered areas in the Bay Area) and is popular with surfers. The water is rough and chilly, so stick to the sand activities with little ones.

5. Spend an Afternoon in Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park is a quiet oasis in the middle of the bustling city and is also full of kid-friendly activities. While visiting museums like the Academy of Sciences or the de Young is well-worth it, they can also be pretty expensive. For free fun, stroll along the park paths, picnic by one of the park’s two lakes, explore the man-made waterfall, or simply let your kids run wild at the enormous Koret’s Children’s Playground.

6. Stroll through Chinatown

Photo credit: San Francisco Travel Association/Scott Chernis

Exploring Chinatown’s unique nooks and crannies is a lot of fun for adults and kids alike. Walk through the Chinatown gate on Grant and Bush streets and window shop at the various trinket stores and dim sum restaurants. Should you get hungry, you won’t need to bust your budget to sample the authentic dim sum either. You can truly feast at most of the takeaway shops for just a few dollars. Many of the vendors speak only Cantonese, but just point at whatever looks good!

7. Hike up to Coit Tower

Ready to tackle an iconic San Francisco hill? It doesn’t get any better than hiking up Telegraph Hill to historic Coit Tower. Everything else at the top of the hill is free (except the elevators to the top of the tower), including some gorgeous murals. You’ll have earned some gelato in neighboring North Beach when you descend.

8. Take in the Smells and Sights of the Ferry Building

The Ferry Building along the waterfront overlooking the Bay Bridge is a foodie’s delight but the delicious sights and smells are fun for kids too. The farmer’s market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays is well worth a visit. Plus, stroll through the gourmet restaurants and shops and enjoy the recently restored historic architecture.

9. Seward Street Slides

The Seward Street Slides are a San Francisco secret in the Castro/Eureka Valley area. This is good old fashioned fun that personal injury lawyers love – the slides are extremely fast and not exactly up to modern safety standards. Bring a sheet of cardboard for sliding and definitely only allow older kids to ride alone.

10. Hang Out on the Corner of Haight & Ashbury

Play hippie for the day with your kids on the famous corner of Haight & Ashbury where the summer of love started. Don’t stick around for too long or your children may inhale a little too much local air, but snap a photo and browse some of the shops for memorabilia.

11. Enjoy the Outdoors at Chrissy Field

One of San Francisco’s best green spaces – and best Golden Gate Bridge views – is Chrissy Field. The field is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Walk, bike, bring a picnic, or watch the kite-surfers and boats on the bay. The Warming Hut on the west end of the field sells snack and other merchandise.

12. Picnic Full House-style in Alamo Square

If you are a child of the 1980s like I am, you probably remember well the family from Full House picnicking in front of the Painted Ladies in San Francisco’s Alamo Square in the show’s opening credits. Visiting these Victorian gems is a must-do, so pack a picnic for your own kids and recreate the scene!

13. Get Dizzy on Lombard Street

The crookedest street in the the world, Lombard Street in Russian Hill, is a can’t-miss for any tourist to San Francisco. Kids love the twists and turns and the gardens along the block are usually breathtaking too. While driving it can be a thrill, lines of cars on weekends back up for blocks, so consider walking it if your time is limited.

14. Window Shop in Union Square

Union Square is the place to shop but it’s also lots of fun for exploring and people watching with kids. During Christmas time, the area is especially fun, with gorgeous decorations adorning the storefronts, a window of adoptable pets from the SPCA, and – of course – Santa visits in Macy’s.

15. Take Advantage of Museum Freebie Days

While many of San Francisco’s most kid-friendly museums are quite pricey, you can save a bundle by scheduling a visit. The Exploratorium offers 5 free days a year (still remaining in 2016: October 30) and the de Young Museum is free every first Tuesday of the month. The Academy of Arts and Sciences offers free days to San Francisco residents (based on zip code – schedule here). If you are a Bank of America credit or debit card holder, also take advantage of their “Museums on Us” program the first weekend of every month – the de Young Museum, Legion of Honor, and Contemporary Jewish Museum all participate. Of course, crowds can often be quite big on these free days so I suggest arriving at opening time to beat some of the longest lines.

16. Sail Away with the San Francisco Maritime Museum

Hyde Street Pier near Fisherman’s Wharf is home to eight historic sailing ships sure to fascinate any pirate-loving kid. Because it is run by the National Park Service, 4th graders and their families can access this museum for free as part of the NPS’s A Kid in Every Park program. The NPS also offers several fee-free days (still remaining in 2016: September 24 & November 11). Otherwise the museum is $10 for adults and kids 15 and under are free, so you can still do it on the cheap with kids!

17. Be a San Francisco Giant for the Day

The home of the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park offers a kid-friendly fan lot that is open to the public – totally free – even when the team isn’t in town. With slides, a giant baseball glove, and a miniature replica of the stadium for kids to run the bases, it’s a great place to blow off some kid steam for a short visit.

18. Take in a Street Festival

Much to the frustration of locals trying to drive, it seems like San Francisco shuts down a few city blocks each weekend to host one of many street festivals. But those festivals bring a lot of neighborhood vitality to the city. Check out the Chinese New Year celebration, the North Beach Festival each summer, the Fillmore Jazz Festival, Fleet Week, and many more.

19. Tour San Francisco’s Majestic City Hall

San Francisco has one of the most beautiful city hall buildings in the world, and it is worth a short visit both inside and out. Older kids may enjoy one of the free tours (offered Monday through Friday at 10:00am, Noon, and 2:00pm, which run about 45 minutes to 1 hour) to learn about the building and San Francisco history.

20. Climb a Hidden Stairway

With all of its hills, San Francisco not surprisingly has quite a few secret staircases carved into some of the steepest slopes so that pedestrians can navigate the city. Most famous among them include the Filbert Street steps (leading to Coit Tower from the waterfront), the 16th Avenue Steps (covered in a breathtaking mosaic in the inner Sunset), and the Lyon Street steps (on the east edge of the Presidio). Just beware – these hikes are not for the faint of heart!

21. Visit the Palace of Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts is a Greco-Roman structure built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Now a historic landmark with a gorgeous reflecting lagoon, it’s a nice spot to escape the city for a picnic.

22. Geek out on All Things Star Wars

The Presidio in San Francisco is home to LucasFilm’s headquarters and the Letterman Digital Arts Center, created by George Lucas in partnership with the Presidio Trust. If your kid is a Star Wars fan, a visit to the area is well worth it. Snap a shot with the Yoda fountain outside. During regular weekday hours, you can also enter the lobby of LucasFilm to see a Darth Vader statue and other film memorabilia. The area is surrounded by a large park for outdoor playtime too

23. Go on a Mission Mural Walk

Photo credit: San Francisco Travel Association/Scott Chernis

San Francisco’s Mission District is one of the most vibrant artistic centers of the city and it’s amazing collection of murals is a testament to that. Balmy Alley is the neighborhood’s most famous, but also consider a walking tour of others in the neighborhood like Clarion Alley and the recently-restored Carnaval Mural (complete tour of many of the offerings here).

24. Take in the View from Twin Peaks

The very best view of the city by the bay can be had from atop Twin Peaks – assuming the fog isn’t blocking the views. There are some short hiking trails to take so you can get views from lots of different angles. Just remember to pack a jacket, as it can be quite windy!

25. Tour the Sutro Baths & Land’s End

The San Francisco Bay Area was once home to several seaside recreational areas and the Sutro Baths were some of the most famous. Now only ruins remain of this once family-friendly swimming establishment near Land’s End and the Cliff House. Kids will enjoy exploring the ruins (careful with younger ones!) and learning about the baths’ rich history.

[…] San Francisco’s amazing choice of activities more than make up for its sweater weather. If you like people-watching, Fisherman’s wharf offers lots of waterfront shops and restaurants for the family. Take a short cruise for a bay view of the Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz. Visit Lombard street, the “most crooked street in the world”. For the theme park junkie visit Great America, in the heart of the Silicon Valley or Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. Check out 25 free things to do in San Francisco with kids. […]

[…] for travelers with kids during the summer months? While many top family-friendly destinations like San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego work year round, there are a number of places that are really in their […]

About

Welcome! I’m Leslie, a mom of two (ages 8 and 3) who loves to travel. Trips With Tykes is a family travel blog devoted to simplifying the logistics of traveling with young kids. With a little knowledge of airline rules & good planning, family travel can be really fun, even if it still involves the occasional in-flight tantrum or battle with TSA over your toddler’s juice box.